Collapsible boat



(No Model.) R. K. LARAWAY;

GOLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

No. 542,340, Patented July 9, 1895.

Izivsntur. 7 MMXZM 2y Witnesses- To all whom it may concern:

. UNITED STATES PATENT -rrrcn.

RANSOM K. .LARAWAY, OF BATIDLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

c o LTLAPIS BEE B50 A'T.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,340, dated July 9,1895.

Application :fild January 5,1895. Serial No. 533,916- -(I\To.model. I

'Be it known that I, RANsoM K. LARA AY, a citizen of the United States,residing at B'attle Greek, in the countypof Calhoun and State ofMichiganphaveinven'ted certain new and useful Improvements inCollapsible Boats; and I do declare thefollowin'g to bea full, clear,and exact d'escription'of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the have only such means of removal as the "life the same toany place desired.

In the illustrations forming part of this specification, and whereinletters and numerals'of reference are used, thesa-me letters and figuresdesignate'like parts i n'each-of the several views.

Referring to the views, Figure 1 is'a vertical central longitudinalsection showing the oppositeinside of the boat. Fig. 2 represents alongitudinal plan View showing the boat collapsed ready for packing,with its normal form in dotted lines. Fig. 3 represents the threemembers inside the boats bottom in proper form and position 'for use;and Figs. 4 and 5 represent, respectively, the transverse verticaldivision bracel-boards with attachments in form and for novel uses, ,ashereinafter described.

Referring to the letters and numerals-designating the different parts, Arepresents the main frame or inside, made of single side pieces oflight, strong, flexible wood, one for each side, connected together ator near their end portions by hinges a a, and having vertical cleats 1 2fixed on the inside thereof at suitable points equidistant from thecenter or Where :the rowlock is preferably located, and at a properpoint near the boat-bottom a hole dis made in the'cleat for engagementof a fastening bolt or latch for the twin divisionboards C. Thesedivision-boards are made fiaring from top to bottom, exactly the widthand depth'designed for the inside of the boat at the points indicatedfor the seats and equidistant from therowlocks, :as already seen, andwhen forced down in engagement with said rcleats 1 2 act as spreadersand brace boards of and for the boat, as is evident. The'top edge of thesaid vertical braceboards-O'are cut out orcurve downward, so as to forman easy seat-support, as presently appearing, and from the outermostupper 4 corners of said vertical transverse boards 0 rise threadedupright and thumb-nut bolts 0', and below are located the fixed springbolts or latches d, the office of which is to engage the holes d of thesaid vertical cleats 1 2, whereby the said brace-board is firmly lockedto the side A of the main frame'or boat side.

The gunwales D are provided with central rowlocks R and are firmly butremovably locked to the frame A and transverse division brace-boards Oby means of the bolts and nuts 0 thereof, while most convenient andeasy-sitting seats E,'situated directly above the said divisions'O, areprovided, ofsimilar material composing the outer covering of the saidboat,-(represented by A.) The said outer canvas covering may be made ofany substantial cloth, suc'h'as duckj suitably saturated or coated withflexible-substance impervious to water, and is only to be permanentlyattached to thesides A at the top and middle portion thereof, leavingthat end portion indicated by dotted lines loose to be held in fore andaft the seats E, as shown, and

strengthening cleats embracing the inside and outside of the boat-body Amay be added to the under side of the gunwales D, but these .only addweight and are an inoumbrance,

since the combination and construction de scribed provides a boatsufficiently strong for all practical purposes and one that can bequickly placed in convenient compass l'or travcling, in mannerfollowing, to Wit: Loosening the straps s and removing the thumb-nuts cthe gunwales D are laid down with the canvas seats spread, as shown inFig. 5, when the vertical division-boards C are readily removed in themanner already indicated, whereby the frame is collapsed, together withits canvas covering A, as appearing in Fig. 2, when it is placedlengthwise prone on the center of the canvas seats E E, and the bottomis folded on either or both sides of said portion already packed, thedivision-boards O, oars, and any other articles grouped alongside orwithin, when the whole is firmly bound in a compact and convenient shapeto handle by means of theloose transportation straps 3 provided for thatpurpose.

Having thus clearly described and illustrated my invention and describedits mode of operation, incidentally touching upon some of its many greatadvantages, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. Acollapsible boat, comprised of an outer envelope of imperviouscanvas, inner sides, composed of longitudinal strips of Wood connectedat their end portions by hinges, an inside bottom comprising a pluralityof longitudinally folding boards or strips of wood connected together byhinges, removable divis on boards and braces, provided with means forsecuring the same to the said side strips, and gunwales removablysecured to the said division boards and braces, substantially in themanner, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A collapsible boat, comprised of an outer envelope, or covering'ofcanvas, made impervious to water, inner sides, constituting the bodypart thereof, composed of longitudinal strips of wood connected at theirend portions by hinges; gun-wales carrying row locks, removably securedto the said body part, the inner bottom part comprising a plurality oflongitudinal strips of wood placed side by side and connected by hinges;vertical braceboards located transversely of the boat, and

. ering of impervious canvas, the side portions of wood, extendinglongitudinally the entire length of said boat,hinged togetherat or nearthe ends thereof, gun-wales, provided with row-locks and removabl yattached to said side portions, the boat inside bottom board, composedof a plurality of wooden strips placed side by side, and hingedtogether, vertical transverse brace and division boards, provided withmeans for removably securing the same to said boat sides, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes illustrated and described.

4. In a collapsible boat, the outer covering of canvas, the sideportions of wood extending longitudinally the entire length and formingthe inside of the boat hinged together at their end portions; gun-walesprovided with row locks, and having a plurality of canvas seatsattaching them transversely in length, corresponding with the width ofthe top of the brace-bars, or division boards; division brace-boardsremovably fixed to the side-portions, and to the said gun-wales, and aplurality of strips of wood, placed side by side, and secured togetherby hinges,the whole constructed and arranged substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

5. In a collapsible boat, the main frame or sides A, thelbottom B, thecanvas covering, A, the transverse brace-division boards 0, thegun-wales D, provided with row locks R, and canvas seats E, and means,substantially as shown illustrated and described, for attaching theseveral parts together and for collapsing and packing the same, for thepurposes set forth.

6. In a collapsible boat, the canvas covering, the gunwales made insections and hinged together at their ends, combined with the bottom,the side cleats, the division boards, and the seats, having their endssupported upon the gunwales and bolted in position, substantially as setforth.

7. In a collapsible boat, the canvas covering, the canvas seat, havingits ends secured to the gunwales and located above the recessed topedges of the division boards, combined with the division boards and thevertical side pieces to which the ends of the division boards arefastened, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RANSOM K. LARAWAY.

Witnesses:

FRANK W. CLAPP, E. J. Hones.

